Psalm 7 → 138
Reasoning: 6464 Output: 5217 Total: 11681
Argument
Here are converging arguments—formal, lexical, thematic, and life‑setting—that make Psalm 138 read naturally as the sequel or fulfillment of Psalm 7. 1) Form-critical sequence: vow → fulfillment in the temple - Psalm 7 ends with a vow of praise after deliverance: “אוֹדֶה יְהוָה כְּצִדְקוֹ וַאֲזַמְּרָה שֵׁם־יְהוָה עֶלְיוֹן” (7:18). - Psalm 138 opens by carrying out that vow: “אוֹדְךָ בְכָל־לִבִּי … אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה אֶל־הֵיכַל קָדְשֶׁךָ וְאוֹדֶה אֶת־שְׁמֶךָ” (138:1–2). The explicit bowing toward the sanctuary is exactly what a delivered worshiper does when paying a thanksgiving vow. - Typical ancient Israelite pattern: individual lament (Ps 7) includes a vow to praise upon rescue; a thanksgiving psalm (Ps 138) ceremonially fulfills it in/at the temple. 2) Rare and/or marked lexical ties (identical roots and forms) - גמר “to complete, bring to an end” - 7:10 “יִגְמָר־נָא רַע רְשָׁעִים” (jussive yiqtol 3ms) = “May the evil of the wicked come to an end.” - 138:8 “יְהוָה יִגְמֹר בַּעֲדִי” (yiqtol 3ms) = “YHWH will complete for me.” - Same rare verb, same stem/person, used programmatically: petition in Ps 7 becomes confident assertion in Ps 138. - אודה / אזמר - 7:18 “אוֹדֶה … וַאֲזַמְּרָה” - 138:1–2 “אוֹדְךָ … אֲזַמְּרֶךָ … וְאוֹדֶה” - Same roots, same speaker (1cs), same praise posture—vow (7) now enacted (138). - שֵׁם “name” - 7:18 “אָזַמְּרָה שֵׁם יְהוָה עֶלְיוֹן” - 138:2 “וְאוֹדֶה אֶת־שְׁמֶךָ” - The content of the vowed song (YHWH’s name) is the content of the fulfilled song. - לֵב / נֶפֶשׁ (inner person) - 7:11 “מושיע יִשְׁרֵי־לֵב”; 7:3 “נַפְשִׁי” - 138:1 “בְּכָל־לִבִּי”; 138:3 “תַּרְהִבֵנִי בְּנַפְשִׁי עֹז” - The same inner-life vocabulary frames distress (Ps 7) and emboldened gratitude (Ps 138). - אַף - 7:7 “קוּמָה יְהוָה בְּאַפֶּךָ” (your anger) - 138:7 “עַל אַף אֹיְבַי” (in spite of/over against my enemies; same lexeme אַף) - The “anger/face” idiom moves from God’s anger against foes (7) to God’s saving action “over against” the enemies (138). - Height vocabulary: עֶלְיוֹן / רָם / מָרוֹם - 7:8 “לַמָּרוֹם שׁוּבָה”; 7:18 “יְהוָה עֶלְיוֹן” - 138:6 “כִּי רָם יְהוָה” - Petition that YHWH take the high seat (7) → confession that YHWH is indeed high (138). - כָּבוֹד - 7:6 “וּכְבוֹדִי לֶעָפָר יַשְׁכֵּן” (my honor is at risk) - 138:5 “כִּי־גָדוֹל כְּבוֹד יְהוָה” (YHWH’s glory is great) - Threatened human honor (7) is replaced by celebrated divine glory (138). 3) Shared motifs and storyline progression - From courtroom to international acclaim - Courtroom in Ps 7: “יְהוָה יָדִין עַמִּים … שָׁפְטֵנִי … מִשְׁפָּט צִוִּיתָ … וַעֲדַת לְאֻמִּים תְּסוֹבְבֶךָ” (7:7–10). - Global acknowledgment in Ps 138: “יוֹדֽוּךָ … כָּל־מַלְכֵי־אָ֑רֶץ כִּי שָׁמְעוּ אִמְרֵי־פִיךָ … וְיָשִׁירוּ בְּדַרְכֵי יְהוָה” (138:4–5). - Logical flow: God convenes judgment over the peoples (7); the outcome is that earth’s kings hear YHWH’s words and sing his ways (138). - Divine Warrior imagery - Ps 7:13–14 depicts YHWH arming sword and bow, preparing “כְּלֵי־מָוֶת … חִצָּיו.” - Ps 138:7–8 shows the result: “תִּשְׁלַח יָדֶךָ … וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי יְמִינֶךָ … יְהוָה יִגְמֹר בַּעֲדִי.” - The weapons imagery in 7 gives way to the saving “right hand” that completes deliverance in 138. - From peril to life - Ps 7:3, 6 imagines the life-and-death threat (“יִטְרֹף … נַפְשִׁי … לָאָרֶץ חַיָּי … לֶעָפָר”). - Ps 138:7 answers it: “אִם־אֵלֵךְ בְּקֶרֶב צָרָה תְּחַיֵּנִי.” - The feared descent to dust (7) is countered by renewed life (138). - “Assembly” frames - Ps 7:8 “וַעֲדַת לְאֻמִּים” (peoples ring God’s throne). - Ps 138:1 “נֶגֶד אֱלֹהִים אֲזַמְּרֶךָ” (before elohim = in view of the divine/heavenly council or earthly judges) and 138:4–5 (earth’s kings). - Legal-royal/assembly scenery continues from 7 into 138, now with praise replacing litigation. 4) Network of deliverance vocabulary - Ps 7:2 “הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי … וְהַצִּילֵנִי”; 7:11 “מוֹשִׁיעַ יִשְׁרֵי־לֵב” - Ps 138:7 “וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי יְמִינֶךָ”; 138:3 “וַתַּעֲנֵנִי … תַּרְהִבֵנִי … עֹז” - Same salvation field; in 138, the plea of 7 is stated as accomplished. 5) A neat editorial “right-hand” turn on the superscription - Ps 7’s heading names “כּוּשׁ בֶּן־יְמִינִי” (Benjamite; root ימן “right/ south”). - Ps 138:7 climaxes in “וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי יְמִינֶךָ” (your right hand saves me). - Wordplay on ימין links the historical foe in 7’s heading to YHWH’s saving ימין in 138. 6) Height and enthronement - Ps 7 petitions: “שׁוּבָה לַמָּרוֹם” (return to the height) and “יְהוָה יָדִין עַמִּים” (sit to judge). - Ps 138 confesses what was asked: “כִּי־רָם יְהוָה … גָּבֹהַּ מִמֶּרְחָק יֵדָע” and extols his “כָּבוֹד” before kings. 7) From integrity/righteousness to steadfast love/faithfulness (two sides of covenant justice) - Ps 7 argues innocence and asks for just judgment: “כְּצִדְקִי וּכְתֻמִּי” (7:9); “אֱלֹהִים צַדִּיק” (7:10–12). - Ps 138 thanks for covenant qualities that enact that justice: “עַל־חַסְדֶּךָ וְעַל־אֲמִתֶּךָ … אִמְרָתֶךָ” (138:2). - In Israel’s theology, YHWH’s ḥesed/’emet implements the righteous verdict sought in Ps 7. 8) Life-setting coherence in Israelite worship - Ps 7 suits a crisis-litigation setting: a falsely accused individual petitions the divine judge, vows praise upon deliverance. - Ps 138 suits the return-to-temple thanksgiving: the worshiper enters/bows toward the sanctuary, publicly declares that the call was answered (138:3), and universalizes the praise (138:4–5). - Such lament→thanksgiving pairs are a well-attested liturgical rhythm. Bottom line - The strongest “hard” link is the rare verb גמר in the same form and subject, where the plea for the “end” of wickedness (7) becomes the confident “completion” of God’s saving work (138). - The vow-and-fulfillment pairing (אוֹדֶה / אֲזַמֵּר + שֵׁם), the movement from courtroom assembly to kings’ praise, shared inner-life terms (לֵב/נֶפֶשׁ), salvation language, height/glory motifs, and even the play on ימין, together make Psalm 138 read naturally as the liturgical and theological follow‑through of Psalm 7.
Evaluation
Score: 6.5
Evaluated at: 2025-11-27T03:50:58 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 4800 Output: 6050 Total: 10850
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 4.0 / 10
Strong, specific links (גמר 7:10/138:8; vow→temple praise 7:18→138:1–2; matching אודה/אזמר, שֵם). However, vocabulary is common elsewhere; superscription pun is speculative; no counter-evidence addressed; distant canonical placement.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 7 and Psalm 138 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 138 logically follows on from Psalm 7? Consider stylistic similarities, similarities of form, similarities of vocab or ideas, shared roots (if you're doing the search in Hebrew), connections to sequences of events common in ancient Israelite life, mythology or history shared by the two psalms.
Rarer words are more significant than commoner words. Identical forms are more significant than similar forms. The same word class is more significant than different word classes formed from the same root. Identical roots are more significant than suppletive roots.
Psalm 7:
Psalm 7
1. שִׁגָּי֗וֹן
לְדָ֫וִ֥ד
אֲשֶׁר־
שָׁ֥ר
לַיהוָ֑ה
עַל־
דִּבְרֵי־
כ֝֗וּשׁ
בֶּן־
יְמִינִֽי׃
2. יְהוָ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהַי
בְּךָ֣
חָסִ֑יתִי
הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי
מִכָּל־
רֹ֝דְפַ֗י
וְהַצִּילֵֽנִי׃
3. פֶּן־
יִטְרֹ֣ף
כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה
נַפְשִׁ֑י
פֹּ֝רֵ֗ק
וְאֵ֣ין
מַצִּֽיל׃
4. יְהוָ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהַי
אִם־
עָשִׂ֣יתִי
זֹ֑את
אִֽם־
יֶשׁ־
עָ֥וֶל
בְּכַפָּֽי׃
5. אִם־
גָּ֭מַלְתִּי
שֽׁוֹלְמִ֥י
רָ֑ע
וָאֲחַלְּצָ֖ה
צוֹרְרִ֣י
רֵיקָֽם׃
6. יִֽרַדֹּ֥ף
אוֹיֵ֨ב ׀
נַפְשִׁ֡י
וְיַשֵּׂ֗ג
וְיִרְמֹ֣ס
לָאָ֣רֶץ
חַיָּ֑י
וּכְבוֹדִ֓י ׀
לֶעָפָ֖ר
יַשְׁכֵּ֣ן
סֶֽלָה׃
7. ק֘וּמָ֤ה
יְהוָ֨ה ׀
בְּאַפֶּ֗ךָ
הִ֭נָּשֵׂא
בְּעַבְר֣וֹת
צוֹרְרָ֑י
וְע֥וּרָה
אֵ֝לַ֗י
מִשְׁפָּ֥ט
צִוִּֽיתָ׃
8. וַעֲדַ֣ת
לְ֭אֻמִּים
תְּסוֹבְבֶ֑ךָּ
וְ֝עָלֶ֗יהָ
לַמָּר֥וֹם
שֽׁוּבָה׃
9. יְהוָה֮
יָדִ֢ין
עַ֫מִּ֥ים
שָׁפְטֵ֥נִי
יְהוָ֑ה
כְּצִדְקִ֖י
וּכְתֻמִּ֣י
עָלָֽי׃
10. יִגְמָר־
נָ֬א
רַ֨ע ׀
רְשָׁעִים֮
וּתְכוֹנֵ֢ן
צַ֫דִּ֥יק
וּבֹחֵ֣ן
לִ֭בּ֗וֹת
וּכְלָי֗וֹת
אֱלֹהִ֥ים
צַדִּֽיק׃
11. מָֽגִנִּ֥י
עַל־
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
מ֝וֹשִׁ֗יעַ
יִשְׁרֵי־
לֵֽב׃
12. אֱ֭לֹהִים
שׁוֹפֵ֣ט
צַדִּ֑יק
וְ֝אֵ֗ל
זֹעֵ֥ם
בְּכָל־
יֽוֹם׃
13. אִם־
לֹ֣א
יָ֭שׁוּב
חַרְבּ֣וֹ
יִלְט֑וֹשׁ
קַשְׁתּ֥וֹ
דָ֝רַ֗ךְ
וַֽיְכוֹנְנֶֽהָ׃
14. וְ֭לוֹ
הֵכִ֣ין
כְּלֵי־
מָ֑וֶת
חִ֝צָּ֗יו
לְֽדֹלְקִ֥ים
יִפְעָֽל׃
15. הִנֵּ֥ה
יְחַבֶּל־
אָ֑וֶן
וְהָרָ֥ה
עָ֝מָ֗ל
וְיָ֣לַד
שָֽׁקֶר׃
16. בּ֣וֹר
כָּ֭רָֽה
וַֽיַּחְפְּרֵ֑הוּ
וַ֝יִּפֹּ֗ל
בְּשַׁ֣חַת
יִפְעָֽל׃
17. יָשׁ֣וּב
עֲמָל֣וֹ
בְרֹאשׁ֑וֹ
וְעַ֥ל
קָ֝דְקֳד֗וֹ
חֲמָס֥וֹ
יֵרֵֽד׃
18. אוֹדֶ֣ה
יְהוָ֣ה
כְּצִדְק֑וֹ
וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה
שֵֽׁם־
יְהוָ֥ה
עֶלְיֽוֹן׃
Psalm 138:
Psalm 138
1. לְדָוִ֨ד ׀
אוֹדְךָ֥
בְכָל־
לִבִּ֑י
נֶ֖גֶד
אֱלֹהִ֣ים
אֲזַמְּרֶֽךָּ׃
2. אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֨ה
אֶל־
הֵיכַ֪ל
קָדְשְׁךָ֡
וְא֘וֹדֶ֤ה
אֶת־
שְׁמֶ֗ךָ
עַל־
חַסְדְּךָ֥
וְעַל־
אֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ
כִּֽי־
הִגְדַּ֥לְתָּ
עַל־
כָּל־
שִׁ֝מְךָ֗
אִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃
3. בְּי֣וֹם
קָ֭רָֽאתִי
וַֽתַּעֲנֵ֑נִי
תַּרְהִבֵ֖נִי
בְנַפְשִׁ֣י
עֹֽז׃
4. יוֹד֣וּךָ
יְ֭הוָה
כָּל־
מַלְכֵי־
אָ֑רֶץ
כִּ֥י
שָׁ֝מְע֗וּ
אִמְרֵי־
פִֽיךָ׃
5. וְ֭יָשִׁירוּ
בְּדַרְכֵ֣י
יְהוָ֑ה
כִּֽי־
גָ֝ד֗וֹל
כְּב֣וֹד
יְהוָֽה׃
6. כִּי־
רָ֣ם
יְ֭הוָה
וְשָׁפָ֣ל
יִרְאֶ֑ה
וְ֝גָבֹ֗הַּ
מִמֶּרְחָ֥ק
יְיֵדָֽע׃
7. אִם־
אֵלֵ֤ךְ ׀
בְּקֶ֥רֶב
צָרָ֗ה
תְּחַ֫יֵּ֥נִי
עַ֤ל
אַ֣ף
אֹ֖dיְבַי
תִּשְׁלַ֣ח
יָדֶ֑ךָ
וְת֖וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי
יְמִינֶֽךָ׃
8. יְהוָה֮
יִגְמֹ֢ר
בַּ֫עֲדִ֥י
יְ֭הוָה
חַסְדְּךָ֣
לְעוֹלָ֑ם
מַעֲשֵׂ֖י
יָדֶ֣יךָ
אַל־
תֶּֽרֶף׃